HOTEL AND NEW TRAINING ACADEMY SET FOR EDINBURGH EICC
Plans for one of Scotland’s most sustainable hotels and a hotel school have finally been given the go-ahead by Edinburgh City Council after it approved a revised business proposal by the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) for a 4 star, 350-bedroom hotel. The hotel, is being funded by M&G Real Estate, and developed by the Qmile Group, but will be a Hyatt franchise operated by EICC and it is anticipated it will open in 2024. EICC CEO Marshall Dallas said: “Not only is the hotel integral to the future of the EICC, but we also see it being a key component in the return of business tourism to Edinburgh. From the very outset, sustainability was near the top of the agenda, it has always been a strong part of our offering as a venue, so we’re pleased to be setting a standard here.” The educational part of the plan aims to address the recruitment challenges faced by the hospitality industry in Scotland by training up to 200 people a year. Edinburgh College will work in partnership with the EICC and will play an integral role in the new school and training academy by delivering the courses. The aim of the new academy is to support people to develop practical skills and combine them with the leadership, digital, language and met-skills to deliver a first-class service. Marshall Dallas comments, “Overall, we expect the hotel and hotel school to provide significant job creation and economic
benefit to the city – which were some of the positive factors outlined to the City of Edinburgh Council when they reviewed the revised business case.” Audrey Cumberford MBE, Principal and CEO at Edinburgh College is delighted, “The hotel training academy is an exciting development for the city, and will help to deliver future skills in the sector, a sector which is in need of a boost following the pandemic. The vision of the EICC team, along with multiple city partners, means we will be able to build a unique training centre in the heart of Edinburgh, creating a pipeline of talent in the region. “The partnership with EICC represents an example of how colleges can work with industry partners to form a symbiotic relationship. By working with the EICC we are able to collaborate on the training that is available and ensure that we are effectively addressing any skills gaps and training the workforce of the future. We are excited to get started!” George Gordon, EICC’s Chair, said, The EICC Hotel School which will be run in association with Edinburgh College is an exciting new model of education, training and development which will bring forward much-needed professional recruits into the industry subsequent to the heavy losses of both Covid-19 and Brexit to the workforce. It will also secure the long-term future of the EICC, a venue that is internationally renowned for its amazing services and facilities which generates much-needed kudos and income for the city.”
Crowne Plaza Edinburgh bought by Castleforge Partners The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edinburgh has been acquired by London-based property investment firm Castleforge Partners, which acquired the Bruntsfield Hotel in the city as well as the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff earlier this year. Axiom Hospitality has been appointed to manage all three assets. The 97-room hotel, located near the newly re-developed St James Centre, will undergo a full refurbishment before being re-launched in March 2022. Matt Lederer, Hotel Acquisitions Director for Castleforge Partners commented, “We are thrilled to add the Crowne Plaza to our portfolio of hotels. It is in a prime location in one of the most exciting areas of Edinburgh and we are looking forward to working with Axiom and IHG Hotels & Resorts to bring the best out of this hotel for guests, staff and investors alike. “Now is a particularly exciting time to be investing in hotels as the tourism industry shows signs of recovery from the pandemic and we will continue to seek exciting investment opportunities in this space.” Alex Pritchard, Co-CEO of Axiom Hospitality said, “We are pleased to be working with Castleforge once again on their latest hotel acquisition, particularly in Edinburgh as it is known for having some of the most sought-after hotels in the world. We are looking forward to repositioning the hotel, making it an exciting place to work, and welcoming guests from across the UK and abroad.”
4 • HOTELSCOTLAND
